The present invention generally relates to transceivers, and more particularly to a general purpose bi-directional radio frequency (RF) transceiver integrated in a vending machine for communicating information to a remote location.
As is known, there are a wide variety of vending machines, including those that dispense soft drinks, juices, snacks, cigarettes, candy, etc. In accordance with the general operation of these devices, a patron inserts money into a machine and the machine dispenses some sort of product. In addition to the items listed above, additional products may include ice cream, tickets, tokens, money (e.g., money changers), etc. For purposes of this application, the term xe2x80x9cvending machinexe2x80x9d is to be accorded a broad definition. In this regard, vending machines include, but are not limited to, machines that typically accept currency (either in the form of cash, credit, bank, or debit cards) and dispense some sort of product. Vending machines, however, within the scope of the term as used herein, need not require direct payment into the machine, but may simply be a machine that dispenses an article of inventory.
A variety of problems are known to cause vending machines to become inoperable (at least temporarily). For example, the machine may run out of one or more products, it may run out of change, or other problems may arise. Typically, these problems are addressed by sending a person to periodically restock the machines, or check them for proper functionality. However, this method of maintenance and/or repair is inefficient, since the machines may not need restocking or servicing. At other times, the machines may have been out of order or out of stock for some period of time before the condition is observed in the periodic restock or service run. Indeed, it is relatively expensive to employ an individual to make these periodic status checks. Also, a machine may be disabled or otherwise in need of service for an undesirably lengthy period of time between service checks, before the service condition is noted and reported.
There are systems known in the prior art that address this general shortcoming. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,784 discloses an inventory control system for a vending machine. That patent discloses a system that maintains an accurate running count of products maintained with a vending machine, at any given time. This count, or inventory status, may be communicated to an inventory control center at any given time, via phone lines. As specifically disclosed in that patent, various vending machines are connected to an inventory control center by way of telephone lines. The ""784 patent does not specify whether the telephone lines of that system are leased lines or whether they communicate to the control center through the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Nevertheless, the patent does teach that the phone lines are directly connected to the vending machines (see FIG. 1 and related discussion), and that the communication is performed by a modem disposed within each vending machine.
While the system of the ""784 patent eliminates the need for a person to periodically check the machine(s) to determine whether they need to be restocked, it nevertheless suffers from other shortcomings. Most notably, the system of the ""784 patent requires a phone line to be run directly to the vending machine(s). This limits the placement/location of such machines to locations where phone lines (and taps) presently exist, or requires the added expense of paying a telephone service provider to run and maintain a phone line for each machine. Furthermore, the system of the ""784 patent does not address the problem of system failures. When machines malfunction (for any of a variety of reasons), the problem must be manually detected and reported to the vending machine owner (or management company) so that an appropriate repair technician may be dispatched to service the machine. Valuable time and sales may be lost before the condition is discovered and reported.
Another inventory control system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,223. Specifically, the system disclosed in the ""223 patent is a system for monitoring the inventory of ice in an ice dispensing machine (another type of vending machinexe2x80x94even though it may not require direct payment into the machine). The system detects a low threshold of product inventory and reports the condition to the ice supplier. The patent specifically teaches that the manner of reporting may xe2x80x9cbe by phone over either ground lines or cellular telephony, or by satellite, by radio transmission, or by local network.xe2x80x9d The method of communication, however, is directly to the supplier. Furthermore, the system, like that disclosed in the ""784 patent does not address equipment failure. Thus, a mechanical failure must be manually detected and reported.
Certain objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the advantages and novel features, the present invention is generally directed to a vending machine that utilizes a multi-function bi-directional transceiver for use in an automated system for monitoring and servicing remotely located vending machines. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a transmitter disposed at a first location and configured to transmit a signal containing an instruction code to a bi-directional transceiver. The instruction code uniquely identifies an instruction to be carried out. Preferably, the transmitter transmits a relatively low-power radio-frequency electromagnetic signal. The system further includes a bi-directional transceiver disposed remotely from the transmitter (but within range of the transmitted signal) configured to receive the transmitted signal. The bi-directional transceiver circuit includes a line interface circuit configured to interface with a telephone line that is part of the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) to initiate a phone call over the telephone line. In this regard, the bi-directional transceiver further includes a controller configured to control both the reception of the transmitted signal and to control the communication of information over the telephone line. Finally, the system includes a central station remotely located from said bi-directional transceiver but being in communication with the bi-directional transceiver via the PSTN. The central station further includes a decoder configured to decode the instruction code.
As will be appreciated, the system summarized above provides an extremely robust and flexible platform for providing general purpose communications to a central location. In this regard, the term xe2x80x9cgeneral purposexe2x80x9d may also be referred to as an xe2x80x9copen endedxe2x80x9d platform that may be readily adapted for a wide variety of uses. The instruction code is a relatively small data value that may be decoded to define a wide variety of functions. For example, an instruction code a single byte (eight bits) in size may define up to two hundred fifty six different functions or instructions. Similarly, an instruction code two bytes in size may define over sixty-five thousand (216) functions or instructions.
In operation, the transmitter transmits the instruction code, perhaps along with other information, to a bi-directional transceiver located remotely, but generally nearby. The bi-directional transceiver, which will preferably be integrated into a pay-type public telephone (but which can be integrated into virtually any telephone or other device having access to the PSTN), receives the transmitted information including the instruction code, and communicates this information to a predetermined location over the PSTN. In this regard, the bi-directional transceiver is configured with a controller or other appropriate component to place a call to a predetermined phone number. Once the connection is established, the instruction code may be communicated (by modem) to the predetermined location. The predetermined location (which may be a central dispatch location) then decodes the instruction code to identify the function or instruction that corresponds to the code, and further initiates an appropriate response. The predetermined location may be a computer integrated on a wide area network such as the Internet. The computer may be configured to receive and compile vending machine status information that may be periodically accessed and acted upon accordingly. Alternatively, the computer may be configured with software that may further communicate critical conditions by way of Email, page, voicemail, etc., to an appropriate local service technician.
To illustrate the foregoing summary with a more concrete example, consider a vending machine that is running low on a particular product. A sensor within the vending machine may make this determination and signal the transmitter accordingly. The transmitter then broadcasts a transmission that includes an instruction code that corresponds to the low product alert. The bi-directional transceiver receives the broadcast transmission and communicates this information to a predetermined phone number. In this respect, the predetermined phone number may also be communicated from the transmitter to the bi-directional transceiver along with the instruction code. Assuming that the predetermined number corresponds to a central dispatch center, the center answers the phone call placed by the bi-directional transceiver and receives the instruction code. It then decodes the instruction code to determine that a particular product is low in the vending machine, and it may dispatch an appropriate service person to restock the machine. To this end, the center may be configured to generate an Email message or pager message to instruct appropriate service personnel of the supply request. As previously described, the central dispatch center may comprise a gateway connected to a wide area computer network such as the Internet. In this embodiment, the central dispatch center may take the form of an appropriately configured computer and database.
In accordance with this broad aspect of the invention, the transceiver includes a receiver circuit for receiving a signal transmitted from a remotely located transmitter or another transceiver. The transceiver also includes a transmitter that is configured to communicate information over a phone line, comprising a portion of the PSTN. Finally, the transceiver includes a controller that configures acquired information from the receiver circuit, initiates a phone call to a predetermined location, and transmits the acquired information over the PSTN to the called location.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, remotely located transmitters are replaced with RF transceivers. In accordance with this broad aspect of the invention, the RF transceivers include a receiver circuit for receiving a signal transmitted from a remotely located transmitter or transceiver. The RF transceiver also includes a transmitter that is configured to communicate with other RF transceivers. Integration of the RF transceivers into a number of closely located vending and/or service machines enables the RF transceivers to act as repeaters to transfer appropriate service condition information until the service condition signal reaches a transceiver that is integrated with the PSTN. Once the service condition signal reaches a transceiver that is integrated with the PSTN, the signal information is configured along with service information from other closely related machines and a call is initiated to the central station.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, one or more of the closely located remote RF transceivers are integrated with cellular transmitters. In accordance with this broad aspect of the invention, the cellular transmitters enable each individual vending/service machine configured in this manner to communicate directly with the central station via the local cellular network and the PSTN. The cellular transmitters permit the placement of vending/service machines in locations that do not have access to pay phones configured with a transceiver or locations that do not have telephone lines but are within a cellular telephone network""s range.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a set of sensors disposed within a vending machine. As is known, the sensors are configured to detect a variety of service conditions, including products being low or out of stock, as well as, vending machine out of order conditions. The sensors generate output signals that are input to a transmitter or bi-directional transceiver. As described in previous embodiments, the signals received from the sensors are integrated into a message that includes an instruction code. The instruction code is communicated via transmitters or transceivers to a transceiver integrated with the PSTN. The transceiver includes circuitry capable of establishing a connection and communicating the instruction codes from multiple vending machines with a central station.
To illustrate the foregoing summary with an operational example, consider a vending machine that is running low on a particular product. A sensor within the vending machine makes this determination and signals the transmitter accordingly. The transmitter then broadcasts a transmission that includes an instruction code that corresponds to the low product alert. The transceiver receives the broadcast transmission and communicates this information to a predetermined phone number. In this respect, the predetermined phone number may also be communicated from the first transceiver to a second transceiver along with the instruction code. Assuming that the predetermined number corresponds to a central dispatch center, the center answers the phone call placed by the transceiver and receives the instruction code. It then decodes the instruction code to determine which particular product is low in the vending machine, and the center dispatches the appropriate service person to restock the machine. To this end, the center may be configured to generate an email message to route to an appropriate service person to handle the request. In similar fashion, a sensor may detect an out of order condition (one of any number of operational malfunctions). In the same way that a product low message (described above) is communicated to a central station, an out of order condition may be communicated as well. The central station, upon decoding the condition, may dispatch an appropriate service person (instead of a restock person) to service the vending machine.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the system includes an interface to the International Multi-Drop Bus Interface Standard (IMDBIS) adopted by the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) disposed within a vending machine. As is known, the IMDBIS is configured to detect a variety of service conditions, including products being low or out of stock, as well as, vending machine out of order conditions. The IMDBIS generates output signals that are input to a bi-directional transceiver disposed at (typically within) the vending machine. The transceiver includes circuitry that encodes the signals received from the sensors into a message that includes an instruction code. As described in previous embodiments, the system relays the instruction code across transmitters and transceivers until the instruction code reaches a transceiver with access to the PSTN to establish a connection with a central station. As described in previous embodiments, the central station appropriately responds to the communicated instruction code.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for performing an automated service request. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of sensing a service condition and notifying a first transceiver of the service condition. The method then transmits an information signal from the first transceiver to a remotely-located second transceiver, wherein the information signal includes a function code that specifies the service condition. Thereafter, the method places a call from the second transceiver to a central station over a phone line comprising a part of the PSTN and communicates at least the function code and identity of the first transceiver to the central station. Finally, the method decodes the function code at the central station to identify the service request.